1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a combined container and dispensing assembly which enables a liquid material product to be dispensed and specifically applied exteriorly of the container in a manner which reduces to a minimum, the amount of liquid material product left within a storage chamber portion of the container. Such dispensing is accomplished by cooperative structure, disposition and manipulation of the container body and applicator assembly and the provision of a venting structure allowing air to pass to and from the interior of the container body.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The container and packaging industry is replete with containers of varying size, shape and structure designed not only to present certain quantities of a given product for retail sale, but also to accomplish dispensing or application of the contents of the container, while maintaining it in a stored, effectively sealed or closed storage chamber or the like. One problem associated with prior art containers is the recognized inability to dispense or otherwise effectively remove all of the product from the interior of the container. This is especially true when a liquid material product is highly viscous such as in certain recognized categories of products, such as make-up, glue or paste, polishes, etc. It is obvious that failure to eliminate all but a minimal amount of product from the container results in waste.
In order to overcome problems of the type set forth above, the prior art has demonstrated certain specifically designed and structured containers and applicators or dispensing structures associated therewith. Such specialty containers and/or dispensing structures have resulted in what may generally be considered to be overly complex devices which not only raise the price of the container/dispenser, but also frequently results in a short operable life of less than totally reliable performance of the container/dispenser before the entire contained product has been dispensed.
Certain existing United States patents are generally representative of attempts to overcome many or all of the problems generally set forth above, and well recognized in the industry. Such U.S. Pat. Nos. include Friedberg, 2,112,620; Calhoun, 2,610,732; Pepin, 2,644,613; Dritz, 2,869,162; Otto et al., 2,964,445; Lerner, 3,185,291; Prior, 3,341,884; Chennell, 3,485,563; Bennet, 4,189,245; and Buckley, 4,219,283. While operative for their intended function, certain disadvantages generally do exist in many of the structures disclosed in the above set forth patents. Accordingly, there is a recognized need in the container or packaging industry for a combination container and/or dispensing assembly capable of being used to both contain and selectively apply or dispense a wide variety of preferably liquid material products which may vary significantly in the degree of viscosity demonstrated by such products.